Richard Smith

2016 Graduate, JD

A Journalist Pivots Into a New Career in Law

For many Concord Law School students, their motivation bubbled up from an internal desire. For others, like Concord graduate Richard Smith, the signs came from the outside. Times change, industries change, and it's up to each of us to stay current and employable.

"Before Concord, I spent 40 years as a professional journalist in the print media. I decided in about 2009 that I'd better change careers, since it seemed like the bottom was falling out of the writing market. I think I made the right choice. Clearly, I made the right choice, and Concord was the right school to go to."

Why Concord Was the Right Choice for a Second Act Education

"First of all, it was affordable, and second, it was designed for people like me: people who are older and who don't have a lot of time. If I was a kid, 25 years old, just coming out of college, I might want to do a brick and mortar just because it would be more of an intensive experience, and I would be able to focus myself entirely on that. But because I was also working full-time, Concord allowed me the flexibility that I needed to be able to do the studies and to really absorb the information."

A Curriculum Focused on Future Success

"I am indebted to Concord for the experience that they gave me. The teaching that I received, the lectures, the course materials, the opportunity to be challenged on an almost daily basis, and to stretch myself in ways that I had never been stretched before. It was truly a remarkable experience, and I think it really went beyond anything I could have imagined as far as preparing me for what's going to come."

Where Attorneys Are Born

With a goal of using his constitutional law, criminal law, evidentiary skills, and tort skills to help oppressed and disadvantaged Americans, the only thing remaining is for Richard to await his bar exam results. Fortunately, he feels comfortable about it.

"The courses are so well put together, the materials are so excellent. You're going to come away knowing so much about the law. I noticed this, having just now taken the California Bar Exam: the entire Concord program is oriented to prepare you for that bar examination. They're giving you practical information that you're going to be able to use on that bar exam and later in actual law practice.